Los Angeles -- el Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA), that works with nearly 1000 day laborers and household workers in Los Angeles through our four worker centers, is extremely disappointed but not surprised by today’s tie in the Supreme Court that prevents DAPA and expanded DACA from moving forward.

IDEPSCA’s Executive Director, Maegan Ortiz, said:

“The majority of the nearly 1000 day laborers and domestic workers that use one of our four worker centers, are not among the millions that would have been helped by DAPA or expanded DACA. However all of our members and our staff see this lack of a decision as just another sign that there is not one branch of the US Government that is willing to protect even a small swath of the undocumented. This lack of a decision also adds to fears of detentions and deportations, especially given the already existing record breaking numbers under President Obama.

IDEPSCA reaffirms its commitment to fight for long term and permanent legalization options for all immigrants, but especially day laborers and household workers, not short term, stop gap temporary measures that creates a false binary of good/deserving immigrants versus bad/criminal immigrants. “

Given that IDEPSCA serves/struggles with day laborers, household workers, and immigrant families across many intersections of migration, which includes health, we also are concerned with the impact that this may cause to our community’s physical, emotional and mental health with such little existing access to health services. To live in constant fear is not only detrimental to our health, but it is simply inhumane and unjust--IDEPSCA therefore commits to support our communities as we mourn, express our frustration and organize.

###

IDEPSCA’s Mission : To create a more humane and democratic society by responding to the needs and problems of disenfranchised people through leadership development and educational programs based on Popular Education methodology. Specifically our goal is to organize and educate immigrants concerned with solving problems in their own communities.